Traditional point of honour: the Söl'ring Foriining

The genuine, unadulterated Sylt has a guardian angel. This is the "Söl'ring Foriining", an association of committed islanders. A local history society in the best sense that is also concerned about maintaining the island Frisian language.

The "Sölring Foriining", which translated means "Sylter Association", currently has 1,400 members. The committed association was founded in 1905 and works towards "maintaining and protecting the coasts, customs, landscape and monuments on the island of Sylt".
If you find yourself in the queue at the baker’s and next to you two people are talking in a language that you can neither understand to any extent nor place in any country on earth, then you can be sure that you have just had met your first really genuine Sylters and heard island Frisian.
The "Sölring Foriining" also works towards maintaining the dying island language as it is committed to maintaining and caring for the island and island traditions. Care of the "patient" unfortunately often has to start with a robust reanimation. The Sylter traditional costume had been almost forgotten and vanished except in dreary transactions with tourists until the Sölring Foriining revived it and ensured that it was spread again. The Sylter Steps and Groups seemed long forgotten until dancers in traditional costumes formed. And it isn’t too long ago since Sylters had to seriously take care to maintain their island language (which moreover nobody on the neighbouring islands understands - Sylters are individualists and have their own language).
The Sölring Foriining maintains a variety of museums: since 1907 the Altfriesische Haus (picture) in Keitum, since 1908 also the neighbouring Sylter Heimatmuseum, the "Denghoog" in Wenningstedt and the bird decoy in Kampen. Today Sylters are not only committed to Sylt affairs: sometimes a happy guest makes a donation as a gesture of gratitude to the island and to the Sölring Foriining. Now and then there are loans or foundations for the Heimatmuseum because a mainlander owns something that actually belongs there. These are rare but especially happy moments for the committed champions of Sylt matters.

Small basic course: Friesian for beginner Read, speak and on no account think that you’ll never learn it. Sometimes you may think that you know what this or that word means. I see. Does "dit Ferskweeter" mean something to wear? Ha! No sweat! "Dit Ferskweeter" means fresh water. If you still haven’t given up, you should consider spending four or five winters here and taking the Sölring Foriining course that is sometimes offered

Gran: di Gooki
Grandad: di Mottji
Germany (and anything on the mainland): Dütsklön
Butter milk: di Öörter
Cheers: Sünhair (which strictly means "health")
Cakes and pastries: dit Böökens
Trouser pockets: di
Fek Backside: di Achterjen
Fog: di Töök
Signature: di Önerskreft
You can find things to see and more websites on this subject at www.soelring-foriining.de